Suspension will cost Eric Wright $1.7 million, and maybe much more

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 26, 2012, 7:22 PM EST

AP

If Buccaneers cornerback Eric Wright is telling the truth that his four-game suspension is the result of merely taking Adderall for legitimate health reasons but failing to have the proper documentation, then those were some costly medical documents he overlooked.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed out, Wright will miss four game checks when he sits out the next four weeks, which at his base salary of $7.25 million translates to a loss of $1.7 million. And that’s just for starters.

Wright’s suspension also makes the guaranteed money that he is due next season null and void. That means that although Wright’s contract says his 2013 base salary of $7.75 million is guaranteed, the Bucs now have the right to release him after this season and owe him nothing going forward. If Wright were to lose his $7.75 million guaranteed next year on top of $1.7 million this year, that would be a total of $9.45 million he’d be losing.

Of course, if the Bucs were to cut Wright, he’d become an unrestricted free agent and would surely sign with some other team and recoup at least some of that $7.75 million he lost. Still, it’s entirely possible that Wright would find that no team is willing to pay him as much in free agency in 2013 as the Bucs were willing to pay him in free agency in 2012.

So Wright has to hope that the Bucs keep him around, and that his Adderall use costs him only (only?) $1.7 million.

It still boggles my mind that he even got that much money in the first place.

rufusporter says:Nov 26, 2012 7:36 PM

The NFL desperately needs to put drugs that don’t give someone a competitive advantage in a separate category. No one should be suspended and lose millions for taking adderall. To compare adderall use to steroids is ridiculous and makes the NFL look stupid.

Always liked Wright in Cleveland and thought he got the short end of the stick after one horrendous game against the Ravens, but Easy-E does have a history in college getting busted for a mega bottle of X.

Not saying it’s directly related, but could be somewhat once you go down that path of “self-medicating”.

We’ll never know though iwth the NFL rules about not confirming or denying an alibi.

Buy it on the street? If he can’t produce it then where did it come from?

FinFan68 says:Nov 26, 2012 7:45 PM

rufusporter says:
Nov 26, 2012 7:36 PM
The NFL desperately needs to put drugs that don’t give someone a competitive advantage in a separate category. No one should be suspended and lose millions for taking adderall. To compare adderall use to steroids is ridiculous and makes the NFL look stupid.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C’mon. You don’t really think it was Adderall and that he just forgot to file paperwork do you? Adderall is just the latest excuse. He says it’s Adderall for the exact reason you state above. People, like you, don’t think it is a big deal and feel sympathy for him. It could very well be steroids. The NFL is not aloud to say what it was or what it wasn’t. The players can say whatever they think sounds the best. The bottom line is the guy cheated and his excuse is working with some people.

Frankly, I think if a player comes forward and says, “I tested positive for this drug,” and it’s not the drug they tested positive for, the NFL should be able to at least say, “that’s not the substance for which he was suspended.” Not that they should necessarily be able to reveal the actual substance, but it would at least prevent players from being able to lie about what they’ve been taking in hopes of reducing the PR impact.

I wasn’t impressed with him anyway. On paper he was the bucs best CB but not on the field. He got beat a lot. I say the bucs release him and pick up more FA in the off season or thru draft. The bucs are becoming a team to play for so signing a solid FA CB should be easy.

I hate to see anyone lose that kinda money BUT when you do something totally stupid like that I don’t feel sorry for them at all. They deserve what they get……or don’t get in this case. As Bugs Bunny says Whatta maroon.

I could see where a drug like adderall could benefit a corner, if he took it before game time. It is definitely performance enhancing because it improves your minds ability to focus by about a million times.

ninjaneer74 says:Nov 27, 2012 5:01 AM

Soon to be free agent, Mike Jenkins will be taking Wright’s place on the Buc’s roster in 2013. Belee dat…

defscottyb says:Nov 27, 2012 8:42 PM

From what I have read, adderall has very similar characteristics as meth. It gives the player lots of energy and improved short-term endurance. These players probably thought the nfl wouldn’t test for adderall. It’s a serious drug.